Closures and methods for forming the same



April 9,- 1963 s. HJERICSO'N CLOSURES AND METHODS FOR FORMING THE SAME Filed sept. 15', 1959 INVENTOR. SWE-N hf fRlcso/v I ATTORNE).

ilnited States 3,084,825 Patented Apr. 9, 1963 3,084,826 CLGSURES AND METHQDS FOR FGRMING THE SAME Swen H. Ericsou, Chicago, ilk, assignor to American Flange & Manufacturing Co., Inc, New York, N.Y.,

a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 15, 1959, Ser- No. 840,183 1 Claim. (til. 220-24) This invention relates to closures for containers and to methods of forming the same and is particularly concerned with the vacuum-tight closing of large openings in the walls of containers of substantial size, such as steel drums. With improvements in the lining, or plating, of the interiors of steel drums, and in the processing of materials to be introduced thereinto, it has now become possible to utilize such containers for the packaging of food products, other perishables, chemical concentrates, etc., and maintain them in such containers under vacuum. Drums of such materials, filled and closed under vacuum, can then be stored for periods of time, measured in years, without variation of the contents. Large quantities of preserved material can thus be kept available for use when desired.

Problems have arisen, however, in the provision of openings of sufficient size to enable drums, such as those up to 55 gallons in capacity, to be quickly filled and then to be effectively closed so as to retain the vacuum after filling. Such problems are overcome by the closure and method of closing of the instant invention.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide closures of substantial size for closing similarly sized openings in the walls of containers.

Another object is to provide opening formations for receiving such closures.

Still another object is to provide methods for closing such openings for assuring the maintenance of vacuum within the container.

A further object is to provide such closures and methods for effecting the application of the same which can be applied and carried out from the outside of the container once the container is otherwise formed.

A further object is to provide such closures and methods of effecting the application of the same which can be applied and carried out while the Whole of the container is under vacuum.

A still further object is to provide such closures which are of sufiicient size to have an additional opening and closure member therefor incorporated therewithin.

Further and more detailed objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the drawing, proceeds.

In that drawing:

LFIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of the head of a drum showing the closure member of the invention applied thereto;

'FIG 2 is a fragmentary exploded sectional view of the drum opening, showing the closure member in position to be seated therein;

FIG. 3 is a part sectional, part elevational view, enlarged as against the FIG. 1 showing, of the closure member of the invention secured in place in a container wall opening;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section of a container wall with the closure member seated in place in the opening therein and showing the securing mechanism in position to be actuated; and

FIG. 5 is a view, similar to FIG. 4, showing the securing as having been completed to complete the closure.

In FIG. 1 a drum head is shown at 1 as having its opening closed by the closure member 2, of the invention,

applied in place in the center of the head. It is, of course, to be appreciated that this particular location is not essential, as the closure can be differently positioned on the head or, also, may be positioned on some other part of the wall of containers of the same type or of different types. What is important to note, however, is that the closure member and the opening closed by it is of substantial size in relation to the size of the head of the container, it being presently contemplated, by way of example, that an opening 6 in diameter will be employed in a container head of approximately 23 in diameter.

It is also contemplated that for special purposes the closure member 2 will be equipped with another smaller closure within the confines of its base 3.

The closure member 2, as seen in FIG, 2, is made as a shallow cup-shaped member whose base 3 is bordered by a cylindrical upstanding wall portion 4 which is turned, or beaded, outwardly and downwardly at 5 into a wall portion 6 extending in spaced parallel relation with respect to the wall portion 4 providing the channel 7 therebetween. The wall portion 6 is flanged outwardly at its bottom edge as seen at 8 for purposes which will appear hereinafter. The closure member would normally be made of sheet steel somewhat lighter than that of the container wall but could be of the same weight material.

The base of the channel 7, beneath the bead 5, is filled with a gasket 9, preferably formed by flowing a fluid compound in place therein and then allowing the compound to set. This assures that the gasket will be in complete engagement with the wall of the channel throughout the cross-section of the gasket, and provides a gasket of the proper conformation for the intended purpose.

The drum wall 1 is provided with a suitable formation for effective cooperation with the closure member, so that the same may be easily seated in place thereon by mechanical action within a sealed vacuum chamber, and to thereafter cooperate with the closure member to enable a long lasting vacuum-tight joint to be made. Thus the container wall formation around the opening includes a first downwardly and inwardly inclined annular portion 19 extending to a bend 11 from whence a second annular inclined portion 12 extends upwardly and inwardly and from whose inner end a cylindrical neck 13 is drawn upwardly to border the opening 14.

Referring now to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the closure member 2 is first seated down about the opening 14, with the wall portions 4 and 6 and the bead portion 5 forming, in effect, a hook to hang the closure member within the opening. The base 3 closes the opening and the wall portions 4 and 6 with the neck portion 13 therebetween are mated together in concentric relationship. When the seating has proceeded to its proper extent in order to properly compress the gasket 9 and flow the same about the upper end 15 of the neck 13 to form a positive seal, further compression will be checked by the engagement of the flange 8 with the outer surface of the inclined portion 12, thus protecting the gasket against undue compression or destruction.

Actually, under working conditions within the vacuum chamber, the closure member 2 will be held in position above the drum head until the drum is filled and will then be carried into the seating position within the opening 14 by means of the mechanism for effecting the crimping in place of the closure, The holding is effected by the magnet element 16 seated in a recess extending up into the actuating spindle 17 of the crimping tool. This crimping tool, only the essential features of which are shown here, is equipped with a plurality of segmental expanding jaws 19 carried by outwardly slideable members 20 which ride within a recess 22 provided in the anvil member 23. When in retracted position the composite peripheral surfaces of the jaws 19 form a complete circle.

The jaws 19 have radially outwardly extending rounded projecting portions 21 formed to engage the lower part of the side wall 4 of the closure member at a position to forceit outwardly against the undersurface of the portion 12 bordering the container wall neck. Above their projecting portions 21 the jaws 19 are recessed radially inwardly to an inclined portion 24. The uppermost part of the portion 24 just engages the uppermost portion of the wall 4, inside of the bead 5, when the tool is in relaxed position as seen in FIG. 4. This serves to keep the member 2 centered ready for application to the opening formation. Once the closure member 2 is seated in place in'the opening, the spindle 17 is retracted upwardly with its conical outer surface 25 riding within the conical surface portions 26 of the jaw members 19 and their carrying elements 29. This expands the jaws members 19 radially outwardly to secure the closure member in place.

The solid anvil 23 is provided with an annular work face 27 which surrounds the assembly of closure member and opening formation. It lies closely adjacent to the Wall portion 6 so that as the jaws 19 are expanded outwardly, the surface 24 thereof will bend the upper part of the wall portion 4 and the wall portion 6 of the closure member with the neck 13 embraced therewithin outwardly into the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. At the same time the projections 21 will force the lower part of the wall 4 outwardly beneath the opening formation portion 12 and tightly up thereagainst as seen at 23. Thus the closure member will be tightly engaged with the container wall stock on both the inside and outside thereof, with the flange 8 and the portion 28 gripping against opposite sides of the portion 12. The gasket 9 will be tightly held in a sealing position so that effective closing against vacuum and maintenance of that closing will be assured.

Though, in the foregoing, the presently preferred modified form of the invention is shown and described, it is, of course, to be understood that this showing and description is for illustrative and not for limitingpurposes.

Having described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to obtain Letters Patent for is:

Closure construction for containers comprising a container wall formed with an opening therein and a closure receiving formation bordering said opening, said closure receiving formation including an annular wall portion inclined with respect to the radius of said opening upwardly and inwardly with respect to the plane of said container wall and a neck portion at the inner end of said upwardly and inwardly inclined portion, said neck portion being in the form of a section of a cone departing at an abrupt angle from said inner end of said inclined portion inclined outwardly in its upward extent, and terminating in a free cut edge a closure member secured to said closure opening, said closure member including a disc-like closing portion and an upwardly extending securing portion, said securing portion being formed with an upwardly and inwardly inclined portion underlying and tightly engaged with the undersurface of said upwardly and inwardly inclined portion of said opening formation, an upwardly and outwardly extending portion extending at an abrupt angle from said upwardly and inwardly extending portion of said securing portion and lying within and against the inner surface of said neck, an outwardly turned bead portion extending across the outer end of said neck, a downwardly and inwardly inclined securing portion engaged with the outer surface of said neck and a flange portion extending laterally outwardly from the lower end of said downwardly and inwardly inclined portion and lying against the outer surface of said upwardly and inwardly inclined annular portion of said opening formation, said flange and said upwardly and inwardly inclined portion of said closure member clamping said upwardly and inwardly inclined portion of said annular wall portion therebetween, a gasket engaging said free cut edge, said gasket and said cone shaped section being clampingly engaged by said bead portion and said portions of said closure member engaged with said neck.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,189,294 Ruggles July 4, 1916 1,266,519 Newman May 14, 1918 2,060,145 Vogel Nov. 10, 1936 FOREIGN PATEIJTS 11,101 Great Britain 1897 1,047,309 France July 22, 1953 

